Rajasthan Royals’ decision to appoint Riyan Parag as captain for IPL 2026 might have raised eyebrows, especially with seasoned batsmen like Ravindra Jadeja in the mix. But head coach and director of cricket Kumar Sangakkara said the call followed a detailed and structured process, with Parag emerging as an exceptional candidate due to his maturity and clarity of thought.
Ahead of RR’s opening game against Chennai Super Kings, Sangakkara revealed that five players were in the running for the role, including Jadeja and Sandeep Sharma. Each candidate went through an extensive evaluation process designed to test not only tactical understanding, but also personality and leadership.
Read the full article
“There were five candidates, including Sandeep Sharma and Ravindra Jadeja. We had very strict parameters on how we would select and what the process would be. We had a lot of conversations with all the candidates and we realized that all of them are very capable of captaining our side,” Sangakkara said.
What set Parago apart was his growth as an individual and his ability to handle difficult conversations. Sangakkara noted that the questions asked of the candidates were deliberately tough and at times uncomfortable, but Parag’s answers reflected a level of introspection and awareness that stood out.
“Riyan seemed like a top candidate because he seemed to have matured a lot in all his interviews. He was very thoughtful in answering all the questions and the questions were very tough, targeted questions. Some of those questions were quite uncomfortable. His maturity and vision for the party made him a leading candidate.”
Sangakkara emphasized that the Royals are looking beyond conventional captaincy credentials. The emphasis was on identifying a leader who could influence the group, think critically and remain authentic in high pressure situations.
“Captain and leadership are two different things. Both are never easy. We looked at maturity, the ability to reflect on yourself, not just others, the ability to think critically and how authentic they are in their responses. We also looked at how they can influence others around them, not just the young players but the older players as well.”
Despite Parag’s modest record as stand-in captain last season, with Rajasthan Royals winning just two out of eight matches under him, the management decided to back the potential from past numbers. Sangakkara said mistakes are part of the learning curve and Parag will have a strong support system in the team.
“No captain or leader is perfect. I know how many mistakes I made, but that’s how you learn. Riyan will have a lot of support. Jadeja, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Dhruv Jurel, Sandeep Sharma, Shimron Hetmyer, Jofra Archer, Dasun Shanaka. He has a lot of people to lean on in tough times.”
The change in leadership also followed a major change, with former captain Sanju Samson moving on and Jadeja and Sam Curran coming in from Chennai. Sangakkara described the move as difficult but necessary for the balance of the team.
“The best deal is where both parties are happy but a little bit unhappy, and that’s a great deal. We’re extremely sad to see Sanja go. He’s been an incredible player, leader and captain for us, but we knew it was inevitable. We have two very good players, one legend in Jadd and Sam, which balances our squad. The trade helped us, although unfortunately Sam had to withdraw due to injury.”
IPL 2026 | IPL Schedule | IPL Points Table | IPL Videos | Cricket News | Live Score
– The end
Issued by:
Saurabh Kumar
Published on:
30 March 2026 02:45 IST
